Hundreds of Amsterdam catering establishments closed since last week

Hundreds of catering businesses in Amsterdam have been closed since the new coronavirus restrictions took effect last weekend. The reasons for closure vary, but a combination of staff shortage and the extra coronavirus measures are on the top of the list, a spokesperson for the Amsterdam division of hospitality association KHN said to NU.nl.

"Clubs cannot remain open without placing a ticket, and many companies are faced with the great challenge of retaining their staff. They leave the catering industry completely and do not want to wait for the contract to be terminated," the spokesperson said. Catering groups often only open a few branches. And because of declining tourism, hotel restaurants can't afford to stay open for a handful of guests.

KHN could not give the newspaper exact numbers but estimated that hundreds of the around 6,000 catering businesses in the capital are closed.

Since Saturday, the catering industry has to close its doors at 8:00 p.m. instead of midnight. This early closure, combined with the extra effort of checking coronavirus access passes, means that many businesses are not making any turnover at all, the KHN Amsterdam spokesperson said. "People can eat out a little bit earlier, but for a party cafe or club, that is really not going to work from five to eight in the evening."